A light, moderately hoppy American wheat beer that is perfect for summer or anytime. The soft and round mouthfeel is complemented by citrusy hops. It is very versatile with food pairings and a great gateway beer for those fans of lighter beers.

The hoppiest beer we make; our American Strong Ale is continuously hopped with Citra throughout the brewing process. This dark lady features a big tropical fruit blast with light hints of roasted malt for a deep, ultra-balanced drinking experience.

CANTON: Beer distributor Dave Esber isn’t looking in the U.S. for the next big craft brewery.

He’s scouring Canada instead.

Esber, who heads the family-run Esber Beverage, has launched Craft Beers of Canada, a specialty import division of the company.

His goal is to scoop up the highest-rated Canadian craft brewers and bring them into the U.S., starting with the Ohio, Michigan and New York markets.

The company already has inked deals with Flying Monkeys, Lake of Bays, Cameron’s and Grand River and is working on agreements with others.

The Canadian craft market, for the most part, is untapped by importers and an unknown for U.S. beer drinkers who are always craving something different and new.

“We’re not making any money from it at this point but it’s fun,” said Esber, who bears a striking resemblance to the “Most Interesting Man in the World” in the Dos Equis beer commercials. “We’ve hit on something that’s unique and interesting and distinguishes Esber Beverage from the rest of the [import] companies.”

Esber Beverage, which has been around since 1937 and handles brands as varied as Anchor, Labatt, Miller, Olde English and Foster’s, is finding a receptive audience so far in Ontario, where the craft beer industry is growing just as it is in the U.S.

Imports growing

While domestic beer sales — think Budweiser, Miller and Coors — have struggled in recent years, the craft beer segment continues to grow.

Lost in all the praise being heaped upon craft brewers is the fact that imported beer sales are climbing, too.

Import sales grew 7.8 percent to $4.5 billion over the last year in the U.S., according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm.

But it was Mexican brands such as Dos Equis, Corona and Modelo that led the surge. Well-known Canadian brands Labatt Blue, Labatt Blue Light and Molson Canadian have faltered, IRI says.

Eager Canadian brewers

Many Canadian brewers are eager to take advantage of the exploding U.S. craft market and prove to Americans that Canadian beer isn’t all Labatt, Molson and Moosehead.

“We have some very, very creative brewers here that are brewing beautiful beers with tremendous flavors, tremendous recipes,” said Drew Knox, a former craft brewery owner and a consultant with Toronto-based Ontario Craft Brewers. “They are aggressively using dry hopping. They are doing creative things with flavors such as cedar, maple and chocolate.”

The group estimated that there are about 60 craft brewers in Ontario and 180 across Canada.

Ontario craft brewers in particular face significant distribution hurdles in the province because of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and The Beer Store, which control the retail market and are more friendly to national brewers.

With an estimated 40 million people living in nearby Ohio, New York and Michigan, many Ontario craft brewers recognize the potential to grow their brands in the U.S.

Logical step

“It’s a natural next step,” Darren Smith, owner of Lake of Bays Brewing Co., said during a recent visit to The Office in Cuyahoga Falls. “We’re at full distribution in Ontario now … The Northeast for us just makes sense. There’s so many people here. Craft beer is so popular down here. And the Northeast is the biggest talking market in the United States.”

His brewery, located in the resort town of Baysville north of Toronto, produces brands such as Top Shelf, Old North Mocha Porter and 10 Point India Pale Ale. It also has a tie-in to the National Hockey League.

Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery owner and brewer Peter Chiodo, who attended college in the U.S., has said it was always a goal to enter the U.S. market. His beers include Smashbomb Atomic IPA, StereoVision American Kristall Wheat and the Chocolate Manifesto.

“The U.S. craft beer consumer, they’ve embraced the [craft] market so much,” he said earlier this year during a visit to Lizardville in Copley Township. “Why would you not want to give somebody some liquid gold down here, really? We make some unusual beers that we think some people would dig.”

The Ontario government has been supportive of the exporting effort and has helped bring in wholesalers, sales representatives and retailers so they can meet with craft brewers.

“Those people get to try the beers and taste them,” Knox said. “The best thing you can do when you don’t have a lot of money is to use the beer to sell the beer. You have to get the beer in people’s mouths. Now that person has a much better understanding and confidence in selling it and recommending it to customers.”

Scrutiny

Of course, importing from Canada can present challenges.

A brewer must hire an import agent and is likely looking at a lower profit margin in the U.S.

The two countries also have different rules on packaging. Brewers have to have one set of labels for Canada and another for the U.S.

In Canada, for example, any beer with more than 5.5 percent alcohol must be labeled as “strong.”

That’s a no-no in the U.S., so that word has to be scrubbed from labels and advertising.

Labels in the U.S., meanwhile, also must state the amount of ounces and a government warning about drinking.

“You’re held to a higher level of scrutiny,” Esber said about importing.

Unusual approach

The beer industry is highly competitive today, with wholesalers aggressively courting new brewers and/or existing ones who are expanding into new territories, so the focus on Canada could work in Esber’s favor.

“It’s become pretty crazy,” said David Christman, senior director of state and industry affairs with the National Beer Wholesalers Association in Alexandria, Va. “I often say when one of these brands decides to enter a new state or new market they should do a reality show about it and eliminate distributors one by one or something.”

He noted that the Craft Brewers Conference in Denver this year attracted more than 1,000 distributors, all looking for face time with brewers. For the first time, the association set aside private rooms for those meetings.

There are about 3,300 beer distributors and nearly 3,000 craft breweries in the U.S.

Christman called Esber’s decision to target Canada unusual within the industry and one that could distinguish him from others.

LAS VEGAS (September 26, 2013) - Top Shelf Classic Lager, the official beer of the NHL Alumni Association, will be introduced in the United States at the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) trade show, taking place at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas on Monday, September 30, and Tuesday, October 1.

The beer will be available for tastings in the Craft Beers of Canada exhibit, booth No. 1312.

To mark its debut, Lake of Bays Brewing Company http://lakeofbaysbrewing.ca/, the official brewery of the NHL Alumni Association, directs a portion of the proceeds from the sale of its beers to the NHL Alumni Association, a not-for-profit organization whose many charitable causes include assisting former NHL players in their transition from professional hockey.

“The NHL Alumni Association has other causes as well, which we are proud to support,” said Darren Smith, CEO of Baysville, Ontario-based Lake of Bays Brewing Company. “The association assists in youth hockey initiatives, involves former NHL players in raising funds for charitable causes that enhance the quality of life for our young people and works to inspire today’s youth by providing positive images of its members as guardians of the game.”

“Lake of Bays Brewing Co. approached us with the idea of creating a product associated with our organization and the history of the game,” said Mark Napier, executive director of the NHL Alumni Association. “They brew great quality beer, have an excellent marketing strategy and equally important, they are team players that understand the importance of our association and our many causes.”

Joining in the introduction of Top Shelf Classic Lager will be former NHL player Marty McSorley. After his debut in the NHL in 1983-84, defenseman McSorley developed into one of the toughest customers in the game. His ability to rush with the puck and utilize a quick shot from the point made him a prominent member of several NHL clubs. He will be in the Craft Beers of Canada exhibit from 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, October 1. Visitors will receive a free autographed keepsake.

Along with the first public appearance of Lake of Bays Brewing Company’s Top Shelf Classic Lager, tastings also will be available for the company’s Rock Cut Baysville Lager, Crosswind Pale Ale and 10 Point IPA.

Several other Ontario craft beers also will be available in the Craft Beers of Canada exhibit.

The motto of Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery http://www.theflyingmonkeys.ca/, based in Barrie, Ontario, is “Normal is Weird.” Flying Monkeys will display many different products including four which recently came out on top in taste testing against 60 Ontario craft breweries on the Rate Beer website (www.ratebeer.com). The beers and their ratings are: Barenaked Ladies Imperial Chocolate Stout (99); Smashbomb Atomic IPA (98); The Matador Imperial IPA (96) and Netherworld Cascadian Dark Ale (96). All will be available for tastings.

Waterloo Brewing Company http://www.brickbeer.com/, based in Waterloo, Ontario, established in 1984, was the first craft brewery to start up in the province. Three of its Waterloo brands—Waterloo Dark, Waterloo IPA and Waterloo Amber—recently won Gold Awards at the 2013 Monde Selection International Institute for Quality Selections. All three will be available for tastings.

Cooper Moutnain Vineyards is rolling out high-ranking best sellers. Check out a few selected reviews below:

COOPER MOUNTAIN RESERVE PINOT NOIR

2010 Pinot Noir ‘Reserve’

Burghound, 90 pts

A wonderfully fresh, elegant and pure nose offers up notes of ripe red berries, briar and floral hints. There is a cool restrained to the equally pure middle weight flavors that possess good detail and plenty of verve while terminating in a mildly austere finish that displays fine balanced and length. This is quite dry and clean in the best sense and I really like the delivery here. Excellent value.

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, 89pts

Bright red. Aromas and flavors of raspberry, cherry and vanilla, with a smoky nuance. Youthfully taut on entry, then takes on more flesh with a little air, finishing on notes of vanilla, cola and candied red fruits.

Wine Spectator, 88 pts

Wine Advocate, 87 pts

A smoky overtone of reduction segues into smoked meat, horehound, and cherry cola in the nose of Cooper Mountain’s 2010 Pinot Noir Reserve. Firm in feel, but with lingering sweetness as well as savory bacon notes, this may slough-off its reduction in time, though it had already been in bottle for more than six months when I tasted it. -David Schildknecht

2009 MOUNTAIN TERROIR

Wine & Spirits, 92 pts

Scents of wild cherries are grounded by an oak spice that carries through to the generous array of flavors, all cherry cola and graham spice. The finish bears a mildly smoky note, which suggests a pairing with salmon off the grill.

Wine Advocate, 91+

The 2009 Pinot Noir Mountain Terroir offers up earthy minerals, wood smoke, spice box, black cherry, and black raspberry. More structured than the Reserve cuvee, this lengthy effort is likely to evolve for 1-2 years and deliver optimum drinking through 2019. -Jay Miller

COOPER MOUNTAIN RESERVE PINOT GRIS

2011 Pinot Gris ‘Reserve’

Wine Advocate, 90 pts

The Cooper Mountain 2011 Pinot Gris Reserve deliciously illustrates two things that winemaker Gilles de Domingo professes to love: reduction and lees. From the former, this wine derives its sense of vibrancy and finishing “ping;” from the latter an enhancement of this cepage’s natural tendency toward textural richness (notwithstanding that to taste 90% of the Oregon exemplars I did, you would never guess Pinot Gris had that inherent proclivity!). Ripe peach and Persian melon, subtly brown-spiced and mingled with fresh citrus juices and bittersweet candied citrus rind inform a luscious yet invigorating performance you won’t be able to resist. I have no idea how this might age but wouldn’t be surprised if it held up beautifully for several years. (I wanted to cry after tasting this and then learning that Cooper Mountain also grows my beloved Pinot Blanc, but had not supplied me a sample.) And did I neglect – do I even need – to note that this humbly-priced Pinot Gris picked at the end of October represents absurdly fine value? - David Schildknecht

The Beverage Testing Institute is a national agency that has for over a decade evaluated particular varietals made by US wineries on a bi-monthly basis. Recently they called for PETITE VERDOT and MALBEC submissions – here are the Results:

I predict demand is going to be there. Why? Because, despite an up-and-down ride on the quality roller coaster, Hyatt has rediscovered its strengths and is in a position to join a handful of value-oriented, family-owned wineries in this state that consistently deliver estate-grown, affordably priced, high-quality wines.

The results for the 2011 Florida State Fair Internatioal Wine Competition are in, and Cliff Creek Cellars won big, with the 2006 Syrah receiving DOUBLE GOLD and the 2006 Claret bringing home SILVER.Look for these award-winning vintages in the near future!

Wine Press Northwest reviews all Northwest wines that took Gold Medals in North America in 2010 and judges them again for their Platinum Awards. For the Eleventh Annual Platinum judging, among 538 candidates, a handful of Platinum Medals were awarded including Hyatt's 2006 Merlot!

What the judges said:

“Hyatt Vineyards has been making its customers happy with this varietal’s quality and price for the better part of two decades, and this offering in one of the Zillah, WA winery’s finest efforts to date. It opens with complex aromas of minerality and black currant and a subtle – dare we say sensual! – complexity on the palate that slowly reveals flavors of blue and black fruit and underlying chocolate.”